


Ralph's Human

by Yviinfinite



Series: Detroit: Become Human Writing Extravaganza! [2]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Follows The Game's story loosely, Hiding, Minor Injuries, Past Abuse, Past Domestic Violence, Past Relationship(s), Ralph Is A Sweetheart, it's not that bad, more fluff than angst tho, so possible spoilers?, yet - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-16
Updated: 2018-08-04
Packaged: 2019-05-24 02:48:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14946158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yviinfinite/pseuds/Yviinfinite
Summary: How you managed to get there undetected was beyond you, seen as you had to stifle an agonized sound with every step you took, limping slowly and probably leaving behind a trail of blood from your wound.





	1. Chapter 1

You slapped your hand over your mouth, covering any noise of pain you would have made otherwise. Tears slipped past your closed eyes as the voices and footfalls grew closer, the rain washing away your blood and hopefully covering your gasping. Your body shivered out of fear as the people stopped right behind the fence, which was covered by some fabric you hadn't bothered looking at. You prayed to whatever entity was willing to listen that they didn't know where you went.

"Where did she go?!", one screeched in his drunken rage. You had done nothing to aggravate them like this, you had only said that they shouldn't talk about androids that badly. They had been drinking at a bar you had waited out the rain in. Now, you wished you didn't say anything. Honestly, it kind of surprised you that they were even able to walk, even more so when they ran after you with surprising speed. You didn't know where you were, nor how long you had run for, but your entire body hurt now that you weren't moving anymore, lungs burning from the excessive exercise. You overheard how they said to split and look for you, and in your panicked state made the only logical decision - to hide in that house and wait until they move on.

How you managed to get there undetected was beyond you, seen as you had to stifle an agonized sound with every step you took, limping slowly and probably leaving behind a trail of blood from your wound. Your shaking hand made contact with the door and you pushed, almost falling into the room as the door opened with little resistance. Relief flooded you as you turned to close the door.

The door shut. A knife in front of your face, glinting maliciously, an angry red circle flashing. The relief was once again overpowered by fear, and you barely held in a sob. You stumbled backwards a little, your injured leg finally giving out under you as you fell to the floor, eyes never leaving the android.

"Are you a visitor? Ralph doesn't like visitors, they might hurt him. Visitors are dangerous", he - it? - mumbled, body and face in the dark where your blurry vision couldn't make him - it? - out. The knife glinted in the little light the boarded windows let through. 

"I'm not... I'm not a visitor", you whispered, your fear amplifying when there was shouting from the outside. "I- I just- I ran, they followed me, I just wanted to be safe!" Your voice nearly rose into yelling in your panicked state, and you flinched as you heard a crash from outside. The halo on the androids temple flashed from red to yellow several times, before settling on yellow. He - it! - seemed to have calmed down, and was now intently listening to the commotion outside. 

"They want to hurt the pretty girl?", he - screw it, he - asked almost carefully. 

"Yes. Yes I think so, Ralph." Your lower lip was quivering, tears still spilling as the threat of the humans pushed into the centre of your mind again.

"Then Ralph will hide you, keep you safe!" With that Ralph stepped forward, grabbing your arm and pulling you up, before running up the stairs with you. You nearly cried out in pain as your injured leg was jostled, but you kept silent by biting your lip harshly. He kept pulling you up the stairs until you were in a bedroom of some sort, from where you were almost shoved into the big closet. Ralph pushed himself inside it alongside you, making the already small space even tinier. The door downstairs slammed, to which you flinched harshly. Judging from the steps, it was only one of the five men. 

He searched the house, and you felt yourself pushing into the corner of the closet with every little noise. Ralph still had his knife, but you didn't know whether to feel more secure or not. Nonetheless, you found yourself grabbing for Ralph's hand, squeezing it tightly when you found it. Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed how the light turned to red for a second, before going back to yellow. His hand squeezed yours back, and you felt yourself relax a little. Ralph had promised to keep you safe after all.

After what felt like hours, the door slammed shut again, angry voices from outside moving further and further away. Your body slumped in relief, the adrenalin in your veins giving away to exhaustion as your body threatened to crumble under its own weight. Black spots danced through your vision, and you found it hard to concentrate. 

"You're safe now", Ralph whispered, a slight giggle in his voice. His tone made you smile, your far from before left behind. 

"Hey, Ralph? Can I stay a few hours? Just until I can make my way back home?" Ralph, still holding your hand, pulled you out of the closet carefully. Still, you stumbled, stepping forward onto your injured leg with all of your weight. A shrill cry of pain left your lips, Ralph barely managing to catch you before you fell completely. Slowly, oh so slowly, he lowered you to the ground until you sat there, his hand fluttering from your shoulders to your knees, unsure where to touch you. The cloth of your pants was stained with blood, and your ankle pulsed in pain. When jumping down the fence, there had been a sharp thing somewhere and it had cut into the flesh of your calf, the pain had surprised you so much that your entire weight landed on that foot, hurting it even more. 

"You- you're hurt!", he cried, the halo growing red once again. He threw his knife across the room, scooping you into his arms and almost running down the stairs with you. You were sat down in front of the fireplace. Ralph gathered some things from around the house to start a fire, and immediately you scooted closer to the heat. Meanwhile, you pulled your shoes off, setting the drenched items next to the fire. Your ankle was already blue and swollen, painful to the touch. You knew you needed to clean the cut on your leg, but you felt a little embarrassed with Ralph in the room with you.

Ralph crouched down next to you, eyes on your ankle, before checking the rest of your body for wounds. He must have come to some conclusion, because he got up and ran up the stairs. When he came back down, he had some spare, dry clothes in his arms. Smiling at you, he held them out, excited like a child on Christmas Eve. It was then you realized exactly how handsome he actually was. The blue wounds on his face did nothing to hinder his beauty, and the way he smiled at you sent little sparks off in your heart. You took the clothes he offered.

"Thank you, Ralph." His smile turned brighter, the halo turning blue for the first time this evening. You looked down to the clothes rather bashfully, opening your mouth to speak, but no words would come out. Ralph stood up, marching into the direction of another side room.

"Ralph will give you privacy while you change! Ralph is a gentleman!" His steps had a slight bounce in them as he left, and you sat there wondering how any living being could be so cute. 

But was he alive? The things about androids was that they typically didn't feel anything, and weren't considered alive from that. But Ralph had shown more emotion than several people you met, he was expressive in what he felt and did. Yes, you decided. He was alive. His hand had felt warm in yours, and you found yourself wanting the feeling back. A long sleeved shirt and some loose-fitting pants were the best that you found in the pile of clothes, but they were far better than your wet ones.

"Ralph? You can come back in now!"

The way Ralph peeked around the door first made you giggle light heartedly. Once again, the android carried some supplies in his arms. This time, it appeared to be medical stuff. 

"Ralph couldn't find much, but he hopes this will help." His LED was still blue, and he appeared calm, almost happy. After you prompting him, he sat down besides you in front if the fire, and you found your hand itching for contact. Instead, you reached for the supplies, beginning to clean and dress your wound. It wasn't professional in any way, shape or form, but it was better than nothing. 

"Does it hurt a lot?", he suddenly asked, expression worried. You smiled a little at him.

"Not as much anymore." That was a white lie, the cut burned like fire and your swollen ankle throbbed in time with your heartbeat, and you already knew you weren't going to be able to walk for a few days at least. Ralph seemed flustered, his face almost seemed... blue? Could androids blush?

"Would- would you like Ralph to kiss it better?" Your own cheeks heated up.

"O-only if you want to!"

Carefully, oh so carefully, Ralph put his lips first on your ankle and then on the slightly bloody bandage, then he looked at you strangely.

"Ralph believes you haven't told him your name yet."

"Oh, yeah. Sorry, I'm (YN). It's very nice to meet you."

As Ralph's eyes - or rather, eye, the other one didn't appear to see anything anymore - focused on your face, it almost felt as if your heart stopped, the smile so bright, so genuine, so human. 

"Ralph is happy to make your acquaintance !"


	2. Chapter 2

Your eyes opened with a start, heat racing when you found you weren't in your room. Frantically, your eyes flew around the room, from the burned down fire to the open door, then to the stairs and to the boarded-up windows. Then, last night's memories came back. The android that had helped you hide, and then proceeded to take care of your wounds - Ralph was his name, you remembered - wasn't in the room with you. Where was he? And when had you fallen asleep?

"Ralph?", you meekly called out, hoping he was in ear-shot. You really didn't want to be alone when you couldn't even walk. The blanket had slipped down your body the moment you had sat up, so you gathered it up and wrapped it around your body to trap some heat. Ralph's head popped in from the open door, a bright smile on his face. You could see his body more clearly now, he was still in what must have been his uniform before he broke free of his programming. He had the knife in his hands once again, but this time you were prepared for the sight of it. Though, it still unsettled you.

"Ah! You're awake! Ralph was very confused when she just fell asleep, but pretty (YN) must have been all tuckered out!", he exclaimed, bouncing into the room with never-ending energy. And with two plates in his hands. Did he want to eat breakfast with you? Wait, androids couldn't eat... could they? Either way, he set them down on the table only a little away from you, before grabbing your hands and pulling you up. He almost tripped you in his excitement, but a quiet utter of his name got him to calm down enough to actually go at your current speed. You plopped down in the seat, watching as Ralph quickly rekindled the fire and hurried back into the kitchen.

He came back out a second later, and by god you almost puked right then and there. He had a rat or something by the tail. Nearly as big as a cat. And it was dead. Was he expecting you to eat this?!

"R-Ralph?", you stuttered out as he held the dead animal over the flames, its fur and skin quickly burning, the scent filling the room in seconds. Gagging, you turned away for a second. You'd rather die than eat that.

"Did you say something?", he hummed, turning to you with a smile. Not even his sweet face was going to make you eat that!

"Ralph I... I can't eat that!", you gasped out in shock, the urge to vomit still prominent at the sight and scent of the poor creature. Ralph's gaze burned somewhat angry, and he slammed the dead animal onto the table, the knife sticking out of the wood at a straight angle. You swallowed down the lump in your throat.

"Ralph went through a lot of trouble getting this for pretty (YN), and now she doesn't want to eat?! Why not?!", he yelled, hand on the handle of the knife, his teeth bared in a copy of a snarl. You flinched, tensing up as he was glaring at you. "It's the biggest Ralph could find!", he continued, LED rapidly blinking red. "(YN)'s used to better, that's it! She doesn't want to eat because she's too noble for Ralph's meat!"

"That's not it." You tried to sound calm, hands resting on the table to show you weren't going to attack. "What if it has diseases? Rabies, or something worse? Even if you... cooked it, I could still end up very sick." Ralph looked down at the animal, hands coming up to bury his face into them. 

"Ralph didn't think about that! He just wanted to make sure (YN) would feel well while being here..." He looked as if he was close to tears, LED flashing from yellow to red and back, and you kind of felt bad. You took a deep breath, steadying yourself before starting to talk again.

"That's okay, Ralph. We all make mistakes sometimes." Ralph raised his head, staring at you sheepishly. "But please, don't ever, ever yell at me like that again. You... really scared me." He looked back down at the table, eyebrows furrowed in shame, or maybe guilt.

"Ralph truly is sorry. He... he doesn't know how to control his anger. When his anger comes Ralph doesn't know what he's doing anymore. He becomes stupid. Full of hatred And... scared, like you." His head shook slightly, and he looked everywhere but at you. "He's just so scared the humans will get him again." Then after a while he added. "He just wanted to be your friend." 

"We are friends, Ralph. I'll try my best not to irritate you like that again. But I need to get home soon. I'd really like to help you, but I don't... I don't know how", you admitted quietly. 

"H-home?", Ralph stuttered. "But (YN) just said we are friends! Why does she want to leave now?" Ralph looked panicked, as if the only thing keeping him sane was slipping through his fingers, the LED on his head an angry red. 

"I can come visit!", you quickly added, almost heaving a sigh when the LED turned back to yellow. "Or you can visit me. But I don't know how that would work. Or you could stay at my place a little, if you want." Ralph nodded excitedly, doing what looked like a victory dance, which made you giggle. Still, you were pretty tense. Was inviting him into your living space a good idea? 

But it was too late to take it back now, you pulled your clothes from last night back on, promising Ralph that you would pick him up with your car later, when it was night. During day time, it was way too dangerous for him to be walking around, and you really didn't want your new friend to get into trouble. 

While on your way to the train station - your ankle still hurt so much, but you managed -, your thoughts ran rampant. How last night changed pretty much everything, your fateful meeting with Ralph, and how light you felt when you thought of him. You just hoped he'd like your cat, and that he wouldn't try to feed her to you.

You looked back one last time, Seeing the curtain in one of the upper windows flutter as somebody scurried away. A smile tugged on your lips as you made a mental note of the street the squat was in. 

Actually, you were looking forward to picking him up tonight. Though first, you might have to get him a few clean and inconspicuous clothes, and maybe some blue blood. Just in case.


	3. Chapter 3

It had become night, rain falling heavily onto the street as you made your way down the road with the car. There weren't all that many people out, only a few out and about. And while you didn't enjoy the rain all that much, it made your mission tonight much easier. 

You parked your Car as close as possible, getting out to check the fence so you didn't need to climb over it again. You almost immediately were soaked to the bone, body shivering from the cold. The fence had been cut, you realized. Whether it had been Ralph or somebody else, you didn't know, but a strange feeling settled in your stomach. Had somebody else found Ralph's hiding spot? You hurried into the fenced off area, setting it back in place once you were in. 

You pressed your ear against the door before entering, there were voices coming from inside, but you couldn't make out what they were saying. You raised your hand, knocking on the wooden door. The voices inside hushes, and the sinking feeling in your stomach only settling deeper. Just as you were about to knock again, the door opened, revealing a female android with brown hair, her LED blinking a steady, yet unsure yellow. 

"Uh, sorry, I was wondering- uh, did you maybe see another Android? Wounds on his face, a bit temperamental? I, uh, I need to talk to him." She nodded, stepping away from the door to let you in. The living room area looked the same as it had in the morning, your 'bed' still near the fire, a little girl sitting on it. She looked unsure, almost scared. Just by looking at her and the female Android - the name Kara was flashing on her suit - you knew they both had been through much. 

"He's in there", she said, pointing to the side room you had failed to enter last night.

"Thanks", you mumbled, eyes going from her, to the little girl - the poor dear must have been freezing! - and then to the open door. You entered through the door, pausing when you saw Ralph in a corner, carving something into the wall with his knife. "Ralph?" And suddenly he whipped around, LED blinking red. You raised our hands, signalling him you meant no harm. He relaxed the second he saw you, bright smile on his lips, the knife forgotten but still in his hand. Your eyes fell onto the writing. RA9. Huh, you've never heard of anything called RA9. Maybe it was an android thing. 

"Do you still want to come over to my place?", you asked Ralph, grinning slightly when he did that weird little jiggle thing again. It was oddly adorable. 

"Ralph would love to!", he exclaimed, quickly rushing into the other room. Slowly, you followed him, eyes once again falling to the little girl. You offered her a kind smile, keeping it on your face when you looked to Kara. The female android looked from Ralph to you, the question clear in her face. How was an Android, that wasn't meant to show so many emotions, easier to read than most humans?

"Ralph's going to stay at my place for a bit", you explained, once again asking yourself why you offered. You just had a bad, bad feeling about this place, and Ralph had been sweet and kind to you - well, mostly, but you wanted to help him in any way you could. But now you also knew you wanted to help Kara and the little girl. Would they refuse if you invited them as well?

"Kara and Alice should come with us! It would be fun!" Looks like Ralph beat you to it. 

"I was actually about to offer that", you giggled, but quickly fell back into silence when you saw Kara's mistrusting face. Even the little girl - Alice, if you heard correctly - seemed unsure. Kara's mouth opened and closed e few times, before she simply shook her head. 

"We have to get going early in the morning. Also, we don't know where you live, or how to get where we need to go from your home", she explained, and you smiled kindly. 

"Okay, it was just an offer after all." Then you fell quiet for a moment, thinking. You felt as if you needed to do more, help more. Why? You pulled a crumpled sheet of paper out of your pocket, quickly scribbling your number onto it. You left it on the table, nodding to yourself. "If you ever need help, call me. I'll try my best." You smiled at the pair again, hearing Ralph shuffle around at the door impatiently. "Be safe, you two." A few weird expressions flew over her face until it settled on a kind, loving smile. 

"Thank you. You too."

"Let's go!", Ralph whined, impatiently ripping the door open and practically running out into the rain. You heaved out a sigh masking a giggle, and waved to the pair before leaving the squat as well. You hoped Kara and Alice would be alright.

"My car is over there", you told him, unlocking the car with your key. Ralph, like the gentleman he was, held the fence open for you, letting you crawl through before making his own way. 

"I have a blanket in the back of my car, could you hide under it? I'll tell you when you can come out." Ralph's expression soured, and it almost looked as if he pouted. But there was an angry glint in his eye. "I know, I know. It's the only way, though." Surprisingly, Ralph did what you asked him, waiting for you to get into the drivers seat and start the engine before he covered himself under the blanket. You talked to him, always smiling when he answered you. The ride home was uneventful, even though you were shaking with nerves.

-

You parked the car in front of your apartment building. It wasn't big or fancy by any means, but it was home. Turning off the engine, you peered around to make sure nobody was around. You also knew from experience that there were no cameras around this part of the building.

"It's safe, you can come out." Ralph nearly burst out from under the blanket, looking out of every window, once again smiling like a ray of sunshine. 

"(YN) lives here?", he asked, eyeing the building. You grinned at his innocence, nodding.

"Yeah, I'll show you the way from here to the fire escape, then you can wait in my apartment 'til I#ve come home the normal way. That sound good?" Ralph just nodded, already exiting the car.

Together, you sneaked up the fire escape, you leading the way because you obviously knew the way better. The whole time you were shaking form both excitement and nerves. 

"Man, I haven't done this since I lived with-!" You quieted down, a sinking feeling filling your stomach at the memory. 

"Is (YN) alright?", Ralph asked, worry clear in his voice. 

"Uh, yeah. Sorry, I kinda spaced out there. Let's keep going." You really didn't want to talk about it now. 

The two of you arrived at your window, which you had thoughtfully left open. You knew your cat wouldn't leave through there anymore, she was too scared since she had been stuck there during a thunderstorm. Poor baby. 

"This is mine, make yourself at home 'til I come back." Ralph entered through the window, looking around in amazement. "Oh, and don't be surprised, I have a cat. She likes to scare people." Ralph seemed to grin at the mention of a cat. Did he like animals?

"I'll be back soon."


	4. Chapter 4

You re-entered the building, the small Lobby warm and homely as always. Mrs. Lareile smiled at you from behind the counter, her kind face although changed from her age still held a youthful spirit. The quirk of her eyebrow told you she was worried. She used that expression often back when - you didn’t want to think about that now.

“Dear, why have you been out so late?”, she asked. “I was worried sick.” Oh… it was already half past midnight. Oops.

“Did you stay up?”, you asked her back, a scolding undertone to your question. You smiled at her, though. The old woman was so motherly - grandmotherly? - she even brought you left overs when she felt you didn’t eat enough.

“Yes. Like I said, I was worried. When you didn’t come back yesterday, I was ready to call the police! I thought something happened to you!” She came around the counter, her hands gripping both of yours as she led you to the elevator up. Silently, you shook your head at her antics. “You go on up and sleep, I’m sure your leg will be thankful.” She patted your hand in a good nature farewell and went back behind the counter, probably to clean up.

“Good night, Mrs. Lareile”, you smiled before the doors shut completely, seeing her smile one last time for the day. She had always been kind to you, from the very first day to now. But you knew she had a temper, and was quite scary when she got angry. Though she’s never been angry with you. Mrs. Lareile didn’t have any grandchildren, and if she did they never visited. Neither did her children, actually. You scowled. Ungrateful pack, not even visiting their mother.

-

The door to your apartment opened and shut with only a click, your eyes immediately searching the living room/kitchen area for the blond android. A little ‘mew’ reached your ears as Poppy started circling your legs, rubbing her fuzzy little cheek over your leg. You scooped her up with a grin, carefully holding her to your chest as she so loved. Poppy purred loudly, clearly loving the attention.

“Ralph?”, you called out, listening for any kind of reaction. You hummed in confusion, starting to walk around the apartment in search of the deviant. A faint light from under a door caught your attention. The bathroom? What was he doing in your bathroom? You decided to knock.

“Ralph, you in there?” Something clattered to the ground.

“Yes! Ralph is in here!” His voice sounded a bit strained. Okay, something was wrong.

“You okay? Androids can’t be constipated, right?”, you joked. Wait, would he even be able to get the joke?

“Ralph may… He may need your help.” Breathing in, you pushed the door open, only to bite your tongue to keep from laughing. Somehow, you did not know how exactly, he had gotten tangled in the 'normal’ (human) clothes you had left out. Like, really, really tangled. He managed to get both of his arms stuck in the head hole, the top of his hair poking out of one of the arm holes.

“Ralph doesn’t really know how to put on human clothes.” You were chocking back laughter, the grin threatening to tear your face apart too big to hold back. You carefully set Poppy down, half expecting her to run out of the room. No, instead, she went to Ralph, purring and walking around his already unsteady feet.

You helped him get off the shirt again (he had tried to put it on over his clothes), then helped told him to undress completely before trying to put on more clothes. All the while, you noticed how his LED was a red. Was he shy, or did he think you would use this situation to your advantage? You gave him his privacy, finally filling Poppy’s bowl with food. She munched down happily, and you made yourself a quick snack.

Ralph opened the door, his body simply clad in a sweatshirt and some jeans. He looked… a lot more human than you expected. It was nice. Almost nervously, he looked your way. For approval maybe? At your smile, he started exploring your home, fingers tracing surfaces (thank god he put the knife away). He looked at your 'memory wall’, a wall of your house covered in pictured of nice memories. For example, you with your siblings, you and some friends, you at the rescue station, having just adopted Poppy. You and your best friend. Maybe that memory wasn’t all that nice, it hurt to think about him.

“Ralph… Ralph wants to thank you for letting him stay.” You looked up at him, about to say that he didn’t need to thank you. The words died in your throat, Ralph’s hands on your shoulders as he leaned in to press a kiss against your cheek. You may have nearly fainted from the cuteness of that Android, was he even allowed to be that cute?

“He will be on his best behaviour as long as he stays here. Ralph promises not to hurt you, or her.” Her. Your cat. A weight lifted itself from your chest.

-

The two of you spent around half an hour talking, and you noticed how Ralph’s voice lowered and rose in pitch almost randomly. You had already known that his voice module must have been damaged, or maybe another part for sentence building? You kind of wondered if he would accept spare parts. Would he even know how to repair himself?

You also noticed some things to avoid talking about. Like how he got the scars, or why exactly he had the knife. These things seemed to put him off, nearly sending him into his… whatever you could call it. He got more and more twitchy the longer you talked about it, so you dropped it pretty quickly.

Your thoughts mushed together too much by now, so you told him you were going to sleep. He held Poppy in his lap, sitting on your couch, the TV on but the sound too low to bother you. You smiled at the scene, it had been too long since anybody else lived with you. Your eyes fell to the window you had Ralph come in through.

“Before I forget, if you ever want to go out, the window is always unlocked.” Ralph’s wide eyes blinked at you, LED blinking yellow as he processed the information. He smiled then, bright like the sun. God, you wanted to hug him.

“Goodnight, Ralph.”

“Ralph hopes you have a wonderful rest.”

Yeah, it was definitely nice to have somebody else here. You settled into bed, your covers heavy on your body. Quickly, you fell into restful slumber. Only, it wouldn’t stay restful for long.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick Note: From this point on, there might be some pretty dark themes. Like, past abusive relationships, past domestic abuse, panic and aniety attacks. Be careful if you're sensitive to this type of stuff, please

"Tommy, please- no!", you yelled, begged, pressing your hands against his chest in a pleading manner. "Don't-!" You were pushed back, your head hitting the wall quite painfully. Your eyes were fuzzy as you gazed at Tommy, the red haze around him. His fists were balled, eyes cold and malicious. You cried, tears leaking out of your eyes. You needed to get away. Your eyes darted to the window, you could escape that way. Before you could act, a fist collided with your stomach.

Again and again, your body felt as if it was made of pain. Why would Tommy do this? Surely it must've been your own fault? You cried as he kept punishing you for something you didn't know you did.

-

Something landed on your face, a soft, small thing. You flinched, sitting upright in the bed in a matter of seconds. Your vision was still blurry, your face wet, when you realized it must've been Poppy t wake you. The sweet cat did this every time. You looked over to her, about to raise your hand and pet her, when you noticed the android. You flinched again, and suddenly his LED was bright red. 

"Ralph... heard you cry." It's Ralph, you told yourself, it's just Ralph. But still, your heart stuttered wildly in your chest, and you felt that you were on the verge of a panic attack. Slowly, you pulled Poppy into your chest, curling your arms around her, ears solely focusing on the way she purred. Sometimes you wondered if she knew how much this always calmed you.

"Just... a nightmare", you told Ralph, eyes finally focusing on his face. He seemed worried, eyebrows creased and pulled together, his hands hovering in the air as if he were unsure about what to do with them. Finally, he decided to sit down on the bed, as far away from you as possible. 

"Ralph doesn't know what a nightmare is. He doesn't dream at all." His LED had gone back to yellow, possibly because you yourself were calmer and didn't appear hostile anymore. 

"It's... scary. I'm usually scared and upset when I have one. For some people it's like... them dying, or something. For me it's...", you trailed off, staring at the bed for a few seconds, lost in thought. "It's a very bad memory", you finally whispered out. 

"(YN) was hurt?", Ralph asked, almost carefully. You just nodded, hugging the still purring Poppy tighter to your chest. "Ralph was hurt too." When you looked at his face again, his LED was back to red, but his functioning eye held sympathy in it. 

"I... I thought he loved me", you admitted. "And I loved him... at least I think I did... But...", you trailed off again. Then, you shook your head. "It's in the past. He can't hurt me anymore."

"Ralph won't let him." Ralph scooted closer until he sat besides you. Finally, you released your grip on Poppy, but she decided to stay curled up in your lap. 

"Ralph, can I... can I hold your hand for a second?" Ralph hesitated, and you almost regretted asking. But then he gently held his hand out for you. He was shaking, you realized. You took his hand, quietly noting how warm it was, and just held it. Ralph's LED turned blue after a few seconds, and the two of you just sat there, holding each others hand. 

"I know I'm still allowed to be upset. And so are you. If you ever want to talk about it... just know I'm here." You watched as the LED turned yellow for a second, before going back to blue. 

"Ralph will remember that."

-

It was another half an hour until either of you felt ready to let go. It was already a quarter past ten, then, and you set off to make yourself some breakfast. You had the week off, thankfully, so you didn't need to leave Ralph alone in your home. You ate in peace, sitting on the couch with Ralph and Poppy, who had also been fed, mindlessly watching TV. The shock of your nightmare was still ebbing away. Thankfully, your nightmares were few and far between. It had been over a year since then after all.

The news came on. Shown was, as always, a moderator, but something seemed... off. Joss Douglas was talking excitedly about something. You turned up the volume. 

"-the malfunctioning AX400 has been found and is currently on the run with the YK500. Both androids attacked their owner, injuring him in the process, before fleeing. The RK800 is pursuing the androids right now, and will hopefully soon catch them." 

AX400? Wasn't that Kara's model? And a YK500, those were child androids. Did that mean Alice was an andorid as well? The TV showed two people running across a highway. You couldn't look at it. 

"That's... Kara and Alice!" Panic rose inside of you. They found them this quickly?! Then... how much longer until they found Ralph with you? 

"It seems the two androids got away. Nobody was hurt, but Detroit won't be safe with these two dangerous machines on the run." 

"Dangerous?! They're not dangerous, they just want to be free!" You buried your hands in your hair, shaking your head wildly at the rage currently filling it. You turned the TV off, standing up to pace around the living room. Ralph's face was blank, his LED bright red. 

"I won't let them hurt you, Ralph. I won't-" You balled your fists, pressing them against your temples. "I'm going to keep you safe, I promise." You didn't really know why you wanted to protect Ralph so much. Maybe it was to make up for your past. 

You stayed silent for now, plopping back down on the couch, you buried your face in your hands again, opening your mouth to apologize to Ralph for your outburst, when somebody knocked on the door. You stilled, head rising in silent horror. Ralph's LED was red, his body twitchy. You cursed in your head, quickly pointing to the window. Whoever was at your door, you did not have a good feeling about them.


	6. Chapter 6

"One second!", you called out, shooing Ralph out of the window. "Hide, I'll come get you when it's safe. Ralph's LED was still flashing red, his chest rising and falling in panicked pseudo breath. You quickly scanned your living room for any evidence of Ralph. The knocking sounded again. "One second, please!" 

Your heart pounded in your chest when you opened the door. An android - RK800(wasn't he just on TV? Or was that another one?) - and an older looking man stood there. The older man smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes. Tommy used to smile like that whenever other people were around. You felt a spike of fear, your heart going even faster. The man had gray, shaggy hair, and faded blue eyes. You had seen him on TV before, back when the DBD had first found the Red Ice dealers. They couldn't find Tommy in time, though.

"We're from the Detroit Police Department, may we please ask a few questions?", the android quipped up. You just nodded, stepping back to allow the two into your living space. Anxiously, you wrung your hands. You knew you should mask it, but you couldn't. 

"How can I help?", you asked. Honestly, you wanted those two out of your home as soon as possible. Strangely, you found the urge to hold Ralph's hand again. 

"Ms (LN), we found your blood at a crime scene we investigated earlier", the android began. Involuntarily, your eyes shifted to the clock shortly, revealing that exactly an hour had passed since the last time you had checked. They had to have come here the moment Kara and Alice got away. "The abandoned house had your fingerprints in it as well. We-" 

"Just tell us when and why you were there", the older man interrupted rather loudly. You flinched, growing panicked for a second before you got a hold of yourself again. The android's LED flickered yellow for a second. 

"I would suggest not raising your voice at Ms. (LN), Lieutenant. It appears to be bothering her." The lieutenant raised his eyebrow, before taking in your body language. You must have appeared white scared and small, because he immediately apologized.

"I-It's fine, I... I'm just not used to... men... anymore. 'Specially not loud ones." You wanted him out, now. "Yes, I was in a house a few nights ago. A... a few men didn't like something I said, and wanted to... beat me up, I think. I... ran, of course I ran. I jumped the fence, but I cut myself on some metal there. I hid in the house, and left the next morning." The RK800 seemed enthralled by your window for a second, and you felt panicked when he leaned out slightly.

"Is this window always open?", he asked, turning back to you. 

"Yeah, just in case Poppy wants out for a stroll." The lazy cat meowed in response to her name, but didn't bother to get up. For a second, all eyes were on her. 

"Back to the case. Where any androids in the house?", the android asked again. Honestly, you were much more comfortable talking to him. Maybe he had been designed with exactly that in mind? You had never seen an RK800 on the street after all, only on TV that one time.

"No", you shook your head. "No, I didn't notice anything. I wasn't even in every room. I just found some dry clothes for myself and set up a fire." The android's LED flickered yellow again, his eyes growing weirdly dull for a few seconds. Had he just... scanned you?

"You appear to still be injured." You nodded again, sitting down on the couch to pull up the leg of your pants. While your ankle and the cut had healed considerably - thank god for modern medicine - it was still tender, and noticeable. "Is the discomfort you feel around Lieutenant Anderson linked to your last partner?"

"I... I don't see how this affects anything", you muttered out. 

"I apologize, I would just like to understand human behaviour better. What is the reason you are calmer when talking to me?" His voice was too calm, it almost felt like he was accusing you, but maybe it was just because you were emotionally vulnerable right now. Your hands balled into fists.

"No... no android has ever harmed me. Not like..." It was hard to get the words out of your mouth.

"Is it also linked to the fact that you previously owned an android?" You were screaming in your head, tears in your eyes. How dare he bring up your best friend?!

"Connor!"

"I - it's fine. He... was like a brother to me. My best friend during the hardest time of my life."

"Your PL600 vanished one day, didn't it?" You just nodded, your throat tightening. "Is there any chance it might have become deviant?"

"I don't know! I don't know..." Tears slipped past your eyelids now. Your lie left you empty. No, your best friend definitely was deviant. He had left out of fear, not that you could blame him. Still, you missed him so, so badly.

"Connor! For fuck's sake, we're leaving, now!" The lieutenant harshly grabbed the androids shoulder, practically pushing him out of your apartment. A sob left your lips, knees threatening to buckle underneath your weight. 

"I'm... so sorry", he apologized, pulling the door closed behind him. You sunk down, burying your face in your hands as you let out a whimper, dangerously close to the name of your best friend.

Something landed on the floor with a thud, making you flinch and whip your head into the direction of the noise. Ralph had made his way back into the apartment, and tripped on his way through the window. He was up again in seconds, LED blaring red as he started pacing, wringing his hands and almost stomping on the floor. He seemed really, really upset, and was muttering under his breath, swinging his arm as if he were wielding a knife. 

"R-Ralph?" Your voice seemed to startle him out of his head space, LED flickering yellow before going back to red. He lowered himself beside you, hand almost immediately on yours. You sobbed again, shakily returning the tight grip.

"Ralph is going to... Arg!" Ralph made a frustrated noise when he failed to properly express him feeling.

"I know. I get it..." Ralph's eye searched your face, he looked like he was going to cry any moment now too. Suddenly, you were pulled into his body, your face hidden in his shoulder, his free arm around your back. Your sobbing grew worse, but you couldn't help but tell Ralph about everything.


	7. Chapter 7

"It all started with my- my ex, Tommy." Your fingers started playing with the fabric of your shirt. You weren't looking forward to talking about this, but you knew your mind wouldn't let you rest until you did, especially now that it had been brought up. "In the beginning he was... amazing. Kind, funny. I- I loved him. But then he started doing Red Ice. It... it was everywhere in the apartment. He hid it from me, to... 'protect me', I think." You shut your eyes, your brain taking you right back to those days. "Then he started getting angry. He would yell at me, push me away. Sometimes, he'd lock me out of our apartment before leaving for work. That's when I started leaving the window open whenever he was home. I'd just come in that way." 

You didn't know why, but you felt you could trust him. Ralph had no reason to betray you.

Ralph readjusted. He was sat in the middle of the room, your body sideways against his. But he still refused to let go, his body emitting warmth as if he were organic. You realized that you hadn't felt this much comfort from another person for a long time. The android stayed silent, his good eye trained on your face, his expression passive, but he was listening.

"But- soon he turned... violent. He started... well, he..." You chocked up, tongue feeling as if it was weighed down by metal. "He... became abusive." Ralph's grip tightening as the words slipped out. You took a shaky breath, a strange feeling tightening your throat. "After... months, somebody told the police about him. About everything he did. He went to jail. And I went to see a therapist. She, she was nice, actually, but she couldn't really help me. So, she asked me to get an android specialised in helping domestic abuse victims." It was easier to talk abut the technical side. More emotional detachment. "But, I couldn't afford one. After all, all my money was stolen and spent on Red Ice. So instead, I got a PL600." Ralph just looked at you, LED slowly spinning yellow as he took in everything. "My therapist said it was to help me feel comfortable around males again. I called him Simon, and he seemed to like that name." 

A smile crept onto your face as you thought of Simon. "In the beginning, Simon was... conflicted. I wouldn't let him do any housework alone, didn't have children to take care of. I think, sometimes he saw me as the child, with my emotional breakdowns and all. So, one day I ask him what he thinks of cats, and of course he didn't have any references back then." 

Your gaze travelled over to the photo-wall. You still smiled, though the tears flowed down your cheeks. "I told him Tommy would never have let me get a cat, he was allergic after all. But I wanted one. That was the first time after everything that I did something for myself. And his smile was... I think, that was the first time he was... alive, really. We got Poppy, taking care of her together. We... we were like a family. Simon was... Simon is like the brother I never had." Your voice was wobbly, but you were still smiling brightly. You could finally talk about him without being scared. Without betraying him.

"Of course, Simon was scared. He thought I would send him to get shut down. But I didn't, and he didn't want to leave. But... one day, an old friend of Tommy 'visited'. He said... awful things. Started pushing me around. Simon intervened, knocking him out cold. So I made up a lie. Simon left, it was safer for him and for me. I haven't seen him since." 

"Ralph doesn't know what a family is. But he believes Simon is good, and Ralph is sure he is alright."

Your lips were shaking, and you pressed yourself closer to Ralph. "I miss him." You started sobbing, fingers curling into Ralph's clothing.

Sometime after your breakdown, Poppy joined into the cuddle pile. You had grown tired, closing your eyes, but unable to fall asleep. Ralph's LED was slowly spinning yellow, occasionally flickering red before going back to yellow. He still had you pulled against his body, sitting on the floor with you on his lap, arms around your body while Poppy had made herself comfortable on your stomach, purring loudly as if to calm the both of you.

"From now on, Ralph is going to protect (YN)", Ralph muttered after a few minutes, gaze finally meeting yours. Your face still felt wet, and was probably blotchy and red from all the crying. You smiled, still strained, but your heart feeling a little lighter.

"Thank you", you smiled, hand suddenly itching to touch Ralph's face. He seemed lost too, his good eyes gazing into yours, a look so tender in it, it almost didn't fit his face. Almost. You swallowed thickly, instead taking to watch and pet Poppy. She, of course, loved the attention, purring loudly and stretching herself across you even more. You cooed at her, scratching her under her chin, right where she loved it so much. A giggle left your lips, and you looked back up at Ralph, who still had that tender expression on his face. You were about to say something, when a yawn interrupted you. 

"I think I should head to bed", you admitted, smiling sleepily at the android. Almost reluctantly, Ralph let go of you, though as soon as you were on your legs, Ralph had his hand wrapped around yours. "Ralph?"

"Ralph likes touching you. He thinks it's nice." You blinked slowly, expression softening. The poor android must not have much - if any at all - contact that wasn't harmful. You knew you wouldn't always want him to touch you, and you would need to tell and teach him that, but you would allow - even enjoy it - for now. 

Ralph was very fidgety while you got ready for bed. Eye flickering up to you, LED turning red before he looked back down. It was almost as if he was nervous. Finally, he spoke up.

"Ralph would like to spend the night next to you", he admitted. "He doesn't want you to have another nightmare, and he thinks that him being next to (YN) would help!" Your face felt a little hot, though you smiled at him. He really was sweet. 

"Okay. I'd like to have you beside me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took me so long to find thetime to write again :c  
> Also, this chapter was pretty fricking hard on me. I couldn't figure out what I wanted to do with it, but I'm pretty happy how it came out :D


	8. Chapter 8

The morning sun woke you, but you weren't quite ready to face the world just yet, so you turned away from your window and buried your head deeper in the pillow. The air was a little chilly due to the season, so the warmth of your blanket was very welcome. Your eyes were closed still as you took in the serenity of the morning, enjoying not having to work this week. Finally, taking in a deep breath, you opened your eyes slowly. 

Oh. You had actually forgotten Ralph had stayed with you last night. Weirdly enough, it didn't scare you to find him still beside you, even if you thought he'd be up by now. Ralph seemed to be in rest mode, laying quite stiffly on his back, fingers intertwined over his stomach and eyes closed. No nervous fidgeting, no unsure eyes. He looked peaceful. His LED was a solid blue, and with him laying the way he was, you couldn't see the gashes in his face. Heart sinking, you thought back to your first meeting with him. Whoever did this to him was a horrible human being.

Your eyes admired Ralph's features for a while. Even if you didn't like Cyberlife, you had to give it to them, they really knew how to make good-looking androids. Ralph looked soft, really. Approachable. Then again, all androids did by default. For the first time you wondered if his wounds hurt him. How old were they even? Should you ask him or just let it drop? 

"Ralph is unsure how to handle (YN)'s staring." You blinked, pulled out of your own head and aware of your staring. Ralph didn't look upset, just nervous. His LED had gone to yellow. 

"Sorry", you whispered out smiling at the android. "I was... you're just really handsome." You wanted to smack your forehead the second the sentence left your lips. Why did you say that? Ralph was silent for a second, as if he was processing what you said. 

"Ralph think's (YN) is really pretty too." Ralph's smile had your heart squeezing from how cute he looked. Just as you were about to say something, a very hungry cat jumped onto the bed full speed, yelling and purring whilst prancing right in front of your face. You giggled at Poppy's behaviour, petting her head as you reluctantly left the warmth and comfort of your sheets. 

You filled her bowl with food, setting it on the ground and watching her dig in for a few seconds. She really was a spoiled cat. After that you decided to raid your fridge for food, only to notice you were low on supplies. Which meant, you had to go grocery shopping. Not the worst, but you had really been looking forward to staying in your home all day.

"I'll be back soon", you promised, once again smiling at the scarred android. He had picked up Poppy - a big mistake, really - who was now purring and nuzzling into the crook of his neck. The spoiled thing loved the attention, bumping her forehead against Ralph's jaw every few seconds. Ralph waved as good as he could with a cuddly cat in his arms.

-

You decided to walk to the show. The car would have been a possibility too, but it wasn't that far and you didn't need much. It also gave you a chance to process the last few days. Honestly it was a bit much to take in.

Ralph was special, you knew that. He was a deviant, had broken his programming and ran. If that android detective had found him yesterday... you didn't even want to think about it. 

But why did you care that much? You stopped walking for a second, eyes trained on the side walk as if it had the answer. Quickly you shook your head and resumed walking, still as confused as before. Ralph was your friend, right? But you had only known him for like three days, why did you feel that strongly about him? 

Your chest grew warm every time you saw him smile, or heard him compliment you. Maybe you were projecting things onto him. You really shouldn't do that. 

You also barely knew him. He never talked about his past up to now, his character was hard to understand sometimes. What he liked, what he disliked, all things you didn't know. 

But still, you liked him. Probably more than you should. 

-

Before you knew it you were on your way back home, groceries in a bag at your side. You had only gotten some things, like bread, milk, noodles and so on. Just enough to survive for a few days until you felt like shopping again. 

You greeted Mrs. Lareile with a smile, whilst she looked at you worriedly. "About yesterday... why were the police here?" Her hand gripped yours gently.

"They just asked me some questions. I was upset, but I'm fine now", you admitted, knowing she wouldn't ask for more than you were willing to give. She pushed some leftovers onto your hands, smiling kindly at you.

"So you don't have to cook today, dear. I know how stressed you usually are." Silently smiling, you took the food from her, once again parting ways with smiles. Once you were in the elevator, you silently shook your head, still smiling. 

You entered your apartment, eyes immediately falling onto the figure on the floor. Ralph had laid down in the middle of the room, arms sprawled out as wide as they could, and a very happy Poppy purring on to of his chest. He was staring at the ceiling, his entire body just screaming 'bored'. An idea formed in your head.

"Ralph, do you want to go outside tonight? I'm sure I have some clothes that can cover most of our face." When Ralph just looked at you for a few seconds, you added. "It's boring, just being holed up in here. I'll go with you if you want?" Finally, Ralph smiled brightly. 

"Ralph would like that a lot!"

**Author's Note:**

> This is not on my main tumblr account, this is on my new side blog @yvi-writes! If you want to send in a request you can go to either blog, but video game stories will only be on my side blog!


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